Purpose: To describe and evaluate the use of a Success in Learning: Individualized Pathways Program (SLIPP) to retain and graduate disadvantaged and ethnically diverse nursing students. Design: A summative evaluative design was used with a population of 77 disadvantaged and ethnically diverse students who were accepted into a pre-entrance preparation quarter. The program based on an academic success model, included six pre-entrance classes, academic, social, and financial support, and seven faculty development workshops. Program outcomes were studied using student records, survey results, and interviews. Results: Following the pre-entrance quarter, all 77 students were accepted into the baccalaureate nursing program, 90.9% graduated with either a Bachelor in Science (75.3%) or Associate in Science (15.6%), and 98.6% of the graduates passed the state board registered nursing examination. Discussion: Outcomes are discussed in light of similar programs. Conclusions: Underprepared disadvantaged and ethnically diverse students can successfully become registered nurses. Implications for Education, Practice, and Research: Educators and recruiters for nursing practice should accept/hire culturally diverse students/nurses to expand the ethnic diversity of the nursing workforce to meet the needs of culturally diverse clients. Research is needed to determine the classes/components and length of the pre-entrance preparation program to successfully enhance success.

This study investigated the efficacy of a self study programme designed to teach nurses about how to talk with patients about spirituality, and to identify factors predicting this learning. Furthermore, the study investigated whether there were differences in learning between students and practicing clinicians, and between those in a religious or non-religious institution. Although USA and UK accrediting bodies mandate nurses learn how to assess and support patient spiritual health, there is a paucity of evidence to guide educators regarding how to teach spiritual care to nurses. Indeed, it is unknown if aspects of spiritual care can be taught using formal approaches. A pretest-posttest pre-experimental design was used to study how attitude toward spiritual care, ability to create empathic verbal responses to expressed spiritual pain, personal spiritual experience, and knowledge about communication for spiritual caregiving changed from before to after programme completion. Study participants, 201 nursing students and RNs, independently completed the mailed self-study programme (i.e. workbook with supplemental DVD) and self-report study instruments (i.e. Daily Spiritual Experience Scale, Spiritual Care Perspective Scale-Revised, Response Empathy Scale, Communicating for Spiritual Care Test, and Information about You form). Significant differences were seen between the before and after scores measuring attitude, ability, spiritual experience, and knowledge. An interaction effect of time between students and registered nurses for both spiritual care attitude and personal spiritual experience was observed. Findings suggest learning occurred for both students and RNs, regardless of whether they were at a religious institution or not. These data indicate that this self-study programme was an effective approach to teach nurses about how to converse with patients about spirituality.